Bee Gees'
singer Robin Gibb has died aged 62 after a lengthy battle with cancer, his
family said.
They said they were making the announcement with
"great sadness".
British-born Gibb's musical career began when he formed
the Bee Gees with his brothers Barry and Maurice in 1958.
The group is among the biggest-selling of all time with
hits spanning five decades, including Stayin' Alive, How Deep Is Your Love,
Massachusetts and Night Fever.
Gibb's family said in a statement: "The family of
Robin Gibb, of the Bee Gees, announce with great sadness that Robin passed away
today following his long battle with cancer and intestinal surgery.
"The family have asked that their privacy is respected
at this very difficult time."
Broadcaster Paul Gambaccini described the singer as
"one of the major figures in the history of British music".
Former BBC Radio 1 DJ Mike Read described his death as a
"tragedy".
'Phenomenal
legacy'
The Gibb brothers were born in the Isle of Man but grew
up in Manchester, later moving to Australia.
The Bee Gees notched up album sales of more than 200
million worldwide since their first hits in the 1960s.
"Everyone should be aware that the Bee Gees are
second only to Lennon and McCartney as the most successful songwriting unit in
British popular music," said Gambaccini.
"Their accomplishments have been monumental.
"Not only have they written their own number one
hits, but they wrote huge hit records for Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross, Dionne
Warwick, Celine Dion, Destiny's Child, Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers, the list
goes on and on.
"What must also be said is Robin had one of the best
white soul voices ever. He was singing lead on his first number one when he was
17, that was Massachusetts."
'Thanks for
the music'
Read, who was a family friend of Gibb, said: "He had
a gift for melody and a gift for lyrics and left a phenomenal legacy, a
phenomenal catalogue."
Referring to the Bee Gees, he said: "They had every
award, every gold disc, every platinum disc, the Grammys the lot and had been
doing it so long but were still so good at it."
He had battled ill health for several years.
In 2010, Gibb cancelled a series of shows after suffering
from severe stomach pains while performing in Belgium. He went on to have
emergency surgery for a blocked intestine.
His twin brother and band partner Maurice died in 2003
aged 53 following complications from a twisted intestine.
He cancelled a series of shows in Brazil in April 2011,
after again suffering from abdominal pains.
Later that year, he was diagnosed with cancer of the
colon after having surgery on his bowel for an unrelated condition.
Press
speculation
He was later also diagnosed with cancer of the liver, and
underwent chemotherapy and surgery.
His increasingly gaunt appearance prompted press
speculation that he was close to death.
But in February he told the BBC that was making a
"spectacular" recovery and he was feeling "fantastic".
Last month the singer fell into a coma after contracting
pneumonia.
After 12 days he regained consciousness and his son
Robin-John said his father was "completely compos mentis".
"He has beaten the odds... he really is something
else," he said at the time.
Gibb had recently undergone intestinal surgery.
Questions
1. Do you know any of the songs of
Bee Gees?
2. Were you a fan of their music?
3.Aside from the Bee Gees, who
are your other favorite singers/musicians?
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